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 Dwight
Peck's low-res photos
Farms
of the Jura in winter
[The
Jura mountains run in a southwest-northeast direction along the border between
France and Switzerland, from Geneva (Genève) to Basel (Bâle), holding at about
1300-1400 meters altitude (4350-4500 feet), and peaking in the range of 1650 meters
(5450 feet). These photos of high alpage farms in winter are mainly from the southwestern
end of that range, between the cities of Geneva and Vallorbe.]
Haut
Mont
Haut
Mont farm lies at the end of the paved road leading up
northward from the Col de la Givrine (on the rail
line between St Cergue and the French frontier at La Cûre). In winter the
route is mechanically tracked both for cross-country skiing, on the through-route
northeastward past Marchairuz to the Col du Mollendruz, 36km, and for walkers
some 5km to the farm Le Vermeilley, which serves as a restaurant montagnard for
hardy hikers. 
At 1343m altitude,
the Haut Mont farm lies in pastures between the ridges of Carroz to the north
(1508m) and another just to the south at 1479m. This scene was taken on a snowy
10 February 2002, with the photographer hobbling along on a broken TSL-brand snowshoe. 
Hiker
Dr J. J. Pirri sipping one of the better restorative vintages whilst exulting
in the photographers one-snowshoed plight in the mushy snow. 
There
it is! One of those snowshoes is defective and ought to have gone back to the
factory (a French factory, let it be said), but instead got wrapped all
about with baling wire and seems still to be going strong a month later. Heading
back to civilization, we pass . . . 
La
Genolière farm, functioning as a buvette-restaurant alongside the ski trail,
still 10 February 2002.
Back
to Haut Mont farm, a sunnier day a week later, 17 February 2002, still before
our first good snow of 2002 unfortunately. Good picnicking weather. 
Late
afternoon 17 February 2002, with the end of the paved road showing through shamelessly. 
Ditto
on 17 February 2002, returning up the Grande Combe as storm clouds gather with
evening.
Haut
Mont is at the red spot, and La Genolière at the green one.
From
the Carte National de la Suisse, 25,000 scale: 1241, Marchairuz
 Feedback
and suggestions are welcome if positive, resented if negative,  .
All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 2 March 2002, revised 3 May 2007.
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